Mortimer g



0 Muriel. I

' M. G. LEWIS.

' FENCE POM.

Patented Jan. "3, 1882.

N. PETERSI PholoLilhognphnr. wflsmnglon. ILC.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORTIMER Gr. LEWIS, OF LOWVILLE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN E. MULFORD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,904, dated January 3, 1882. Application filed May 18, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MORTIMER G. LEWIS, of Lowville, county of Lewis, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence Posts, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference beingha-d to the accompan yin g drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wrought or rolled iron post-without the anchor, the post being shown as made ready for the application of the wrought-ironanchor in accordance with my invention. Fig.

2 is a perspective view of one form of anchor which I propose to employ, the same being made of wrought metal in a curve substantially like the letter S; and Fig. 3 is a similar view of an anchor T-shaped in section. .Fig.

at is a perspective view of a post and anchor united in accordance with my invention. Fig. 5 is a vertical section and partial elevation upon a plane passing through one of the fastening-tongues and the holding-rivet, showing clearly the preferred method of construction. Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are horizontal sections, showing S, T, L, and H shaped anchors applied to T-iron posts, and indicating the character and scope of the invention and some of 0 the numerous forms which may be adopted. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of an L-shaped post to which the improved anchor may be applied, if desired. Fig. 11 is a section and elevation of a T-iron post prepared for the reception of the anchor by swaging or bending it slightly, so as to form a seat for the bottom of the anchor.

In all these figures like letters of reference, wherever they occur, indicate corresponding 4 parts.

turning in any direction, simplicity of construction, and cheapness of manufacture, as well as a rigid union between theanchor and post suff cient to resist the force of the drivinghlows directed upon the anchor. To accomplish this my improvements involve certain novel and useful peculiarities of construction, relative arrangemen is or combinations of parts, and details ofmanufacture, all of which will be herein first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims. A is the post proper, made of iron, of suitable size and weight for the uses for which intended. This post is, as usual, intended to be forced into the ground, but it is desirable to avoid the inconvenient necessity of striking the post on the top, as is sometimes practiced, and I therefore secure the wrought-iron anchor to the post,which anchor, when in position, affords the striking-plate to receive the blows from the maul.

B is the wrought-iron anchor, to be secured on thc'side at or near the lower end of the post, and intended to be driven into the ground. An anchor of S shape in horizontal section is believed to afford the greatest resisting-surface opposed to motion of the post in either direction in proportion to the amount of metal employed. It is capable of being easily, quickly, and cheaply made. The anchor in L shape may likewise be easily made, butthe H and T shapedirons are more difficult and consequently more expensive to make. To give the bottom of the anchor a firm bearing upon the post, so that the force of any blow upon the anchor will affect the post in equal degree, 1 make the simple cuts a in the edges of the side of the post and bend the lower margin out slightly, as plainly shown in Fig. 1. The

lower edge of the anchor rests upon the bearo ings soformcd, and it is plain that when the anchor is in place the force of any blow upon the top of the anchor will be transmitted to the post. This form of bea-rin g is simple and strong, and may be made with a single blow 5 of a suitable tool, or by the same tool which produces the form. Of course the wroughtiron anchor might be riveted to the side'of the post and the same results obtained, but the rivets would of necessity be made very strong, Ioo

and would involve too muclroutlay of metal and too much handling. To secure the anchor against the side of the post I punch suitable holes, as at b I), in the post and form the tongues 0 c in the anchor. The tongues c 0, being of sufficient length, enter the holes b b, being so arranged that when in place the anchor will bear at bottom on the ledges provided for it. Under ordinary circumstances the tongues will form all the required means of uniting the two parts, being struck and bent down with a hammer after passing through the orifices provided for them; but for better securing the two parts a rivet or bolt, d, may be employed, if desired.

The tongues may be punched out at a single blow, and, it required, by the tool which produces the form of the anchor, whether the same be rolled or stamped into shape. The tongues might be made on the posts and the holes in the anchors.

.Thus it will be seen that all the parts are simple and inexpensive.

The anchors may be attached to the posts at the manufactory or located thereon in the field. The ease with which they are capable of being attached renders it expedient to ship the parts separately-a matter of manifest importance.

When it is desired to use the postof L-shaped 0 iron a tongue, as 9, Fig. 10, may be cut out near the corner and the ledge formed on the outer edge, as before explained, the two together forming the bearing for the bottom of the anchor.- The lower end of the anchor, if cut away substantially as indicated in the drawings, will be found to enter the ground more easily than if out square across, and will also effect a saving in metal; but the square out may be employed, if desired.

Instead of forming the bearing-ledges by cutting into the material of the post, as above explained, a horizontal ledge, as Z, running clear across the face of the post, may be formed by jamming up the metal of the post, as indicated in Fig. 11, either by swaging or bending, which may be accomplished at a single blow of a suitable tool.

I am aware that fence-posts have heretofore been made of angle-iron, and do not desire to be understood as making any claim to the post separately considered; but,

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fence-post of the character herein set forth, the anchor provided with projecting tongues adapted to enter corresponding openings cut in the flat side of the post, substantially as shown and described.

2. The herein-described fence-post, composed of the angular wrought-iron post and the angular anchor secured upon one side thereof by projecting tongurs entering corresponding openings in the side of the post, (or by the described equivalent means,) the anchor being adapted to receive and transmit the force of the driving-blows, the whole constructed and arranged substantially as herein shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

M. G. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

. WORTH Oscoon,

F. W. HANAFORD. 

